Helen Thomas
White House Press Corps Reporter: 1920 - 2013
"I don't think a tough question is disrespectful. I say. ´Mr. President...´ I say, ´Thank you.´ What else do you want? The presidential news conference is the only forum in our society where a president can be questioned. If he's not questioned, he can rule by edict; by government order. He can be a monarch. He can be a dictator, and who is to find out? No. He should be questioned and he should always be able to willingly reply and answer to all questions because these aren't our questions. They're the people's questions."
* * *
Long-time White House correspondent Helen Thomas, who covered every president from Eisenhower to Obama, has died at age 92, according to The Gridiron Club & Foundation.
Gridiron Club's Carl Leubsdorf announced in an email: "Former Gridiron Club president Helen Thomas, our first female member, died Saturday morning at her Washington apartment after a long illness. She would have been 93 next month."
Thomas spent 57 years at United Press International before spending her last decade in journalism as a columnist for Heart Newspapers.
As a White House correspondent Thomas covered the press briefings of ten consecutive presidential administrations.
Thomas was forced to retire in 2010 when she was asked for comments on Israel, she replied: "Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine."
#HelenThomas' reply after backlash on her comments towards Israeli colonialism "I paid a price, but it's worth it to speak the truth." #RIP
— Mariam Barghouti (@MariamBarghouti) July 20, 2013
"Why does he want to drop bombs on innocent Iraqis?"-- Helen Thomas asked impolite questions of the White House. RIP. http://t.co/gWfFPaIPxA
— Peter Hart (@peterfhart) July 20, 2013
RIP Helen Thomas. Watch her grilling Bush on Iraq: http://t.co/ycw9T1XZxo And spox on torture: http://t.co/5RcJsmgplu
— Sharif Kouddous (@sharifkouddous) July 20, 2013
* * *
Helen Thomas Columns on Common Dreams
January 6, 2011: Privatizing Social Security Again?
March 1, 2010: Obama's Inner GOP
February 8, 2010: Obama, The War President
January 19, 2010: Accepting Various Truths
December 6, 2009: This Sure Seems Like Vietnam
November 19, 2009: Declare Victory, Leave Afghanistan
October 25, 2009: Veteran Reporter's 5 Lessons for Obama
October 1, 2009: Health Care Scare
July 28, 2009: Obama Ignores Torture
July 23, 2009: Can America Prevail on Afghanistan/Pakistan Front? No!
June 23, 2009: Obama Running Scared
March 13, 2009: What are US Goals in Afghanistan?
January 29, 2009: Obama Pledges Open Government (But We've Heard That Before)
January 21, 2009: 44 Takes Office with Blunt Rejection of 43
January 11, 2009: History Cannot Save Him
January 8, 2009: War Is Hell
October 28, 2008: Bush Again Breaks Wall Between Church, State
October 2, 2008: McCain Surely Needs Lessons in Diplomacy
September 19, 2008: Palin + McCain Equals More Bush
May 2, 2008: Bush Admits He Approved Torture
April 12, 2008: War Without End
March 27, 2008: Cheney Believes War Is Not the People's Business
March 25, 2008: Telling Bush the Truth Is Costly
March 8, 2008: Keep The New York Philharmonic On The Road
February 26, 2008: Bush Legacy Already Established
January 26, 2008: Candidates: Come Clean About Iraq
November 25, 2007: US Friends and Foes Grabbing Power
October 12, 2007: US Torture Tactics Shame Us All
August 16, 2007: Dean Warns Democrats Against Overconfidence in 2008
April 13, 2007: Pelosi's 'Mixed Message' to Syria Is More Direct Than The President's
# # #